• Catalyst Separation and Recycle

MET’s catalyst separation technology utilises Organic Solvent Nanofiltration (OSN) as a highly efficient method to separate catalysts. This in-turn allows them to be re-used in subsequent reactions, resulting in major reductions on catalyst usage and metal levels in the product. In addition, there are no yield penalties due to absorption of product when compared with chromatography and absorption techniques. So,

· If you need to reduce catalyst usage (increase S/C ratio) …
· If you need to recover high value catalysts and ligands …
· If you want a simplified work-up ...

… couple MET’s catalyst separation technology to your chemistry!

MET’s catalyst separation technology employed in the Ru-BINAP catalysed hydrogenation of dimethyl itaconate

• Conducted at S/C = 500 in first batch, 1 wt % DMI feed (46 mM)
• No further catalyst added after first batch
  
• No reaction rate decline observed for consecutive 2.5 hour reactions
  
• Constantly greater than 99% conversion of DMI to DMMS
  
• Low metal levels in product - less than 10-20 mg g-1 (ppm)
  
• Cumulative TON (based on catalyst supplied) = 6951

What does MET's catalyst reuse and recycle do for your chemistry?

1. With regard to the above example, starting from an initial S/C = 7,000, adding 20 % of initial catalyst charge each reaction as a top-up, 10 consecutive reactions could be completed without reaction rate decline, giving a TON of 40,000, constant conversion (>98%), ee (>90%)
2. Overall, significant (5x) reductions in both catalyst usage and metal level in product (8-16 ppm)
3. No yield penalty due to adsorption of product onto column packing

Back to top